Raspberry souffle
“Raspberries are like wild strawberries in that they are superb just after picking and then they quickly deteriorate.”
- 1 quantity pastry cream*
- 250g fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/3 cup water
- 100g castor sugar
- 60g good-quality raspberry jam
- 5 egg whites
- Moulds
- 20g butter, melted
- 30g castor sugar
* see Stephanie Alexander's recipe on cuisine.com.au
This souffle will not rise as spectacularly as some fluffier souffles but the generous quantity of pureed raspberries in the mixture contributes wonderful true and intense flavour.
Method
Brush straight-sided souffle moulds with the melted butter. Tip the sugar into one mould and roll around the sides. Tip excess into next mould and continue until all are coated. Set moulds aside.
If souffles are to be cooked at once, preheat oven now to 220C and place an oven tray in the oven.
Put the 250g raspberries into a stainless steel saucepan with 80g of the castor sugar and water. Cover, bring to simmering point and cook for 3 minutes. Tip into a food processor and whiz to puree. Tip the puree through a coarse strainer over a bowl and press to extract all raspberry juices and pulp but leave the seeds in the strainer. Reserve half a cup of this raspberry coulis to serve as a sauce.
You should have 2/3 of a cup of puree left. Combine this puree with the jam and cook, stirring for about five minutes until well-reduced and the mixture is very thick and jelly-like. Cool to room temperature.
Press the cool pastry cream through a coarse sieve into a large bowl. Whisk in the cool raspberry jelly. Start whisking the egg whites and, once they are frothy, tip in the remaining 20g castor sugar. Beat until you have creamy but firm peaks. Lighten the raspberry mixture with a big spoonful of the whites and then gently fold in the rest of the whites.
Fill each prepared souffle dish to the top of the mould. Level the surface with a spatula or the back of a table knife. Firmly run the point of a small knife around the circumference of each mould, place them in the oven on the tray and cook for 15 minutes. (If intending to freeze, cover each souffle with clingwrap and freeze without delay.)
Have plates ready to receive the souffles. Serve immediately, encouraging your guests to pour a little raspberry sauce into the centre of each souffle, which will instantly deflate them but adds a wonderful intensity. Souffles could also be served with cream or ice-cream.
Makes 6-8
NOTE: This can be made, wrapped in clingwrap and frozen for up to a week. Simply transfer direct from the freezer (minus clingwrap) to a moderate oven for about 18-20 minutes until puffed and a light-brown on top.
